Pharmacist Removed from Register After Sexual Assault Conviction and Failure to Notify GPhC
Date of Decision: October 29, 2019
Registrant's Role: Pharmacist
Allegations:
- Convicted of sexual assault on a female, contrary to Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
- Failed to notify the GPhC of the conviction within seven days, breaching Rule 4 of the GPhC (Fitness to Practise and Disqualification etc. Rules) Order of Council 2010.
- Received a Police Caution for failing to comply with notification requirements under Section 91(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
- Failed to notify the GPhC of the Police Caution within seven days, breaching Rule 4.
Outcome: Removal from the GPhC register
GPhC Standards Breached:
- Standard 6 – Act with honesty and integrity
- Standard 9 – Demonstrate leadership
Case Summary
Allegations
In a deeply concerning case for the pharmacy profession, the registrant, a pharmacist with several years of experience, faced a Fitness to Practise Committee hearing on serious charges involving criminal behaviour and regulatory non-compliance. The allegations centred around a conviction for sexual assault and subsequent failures to comply with mandatory notification requirements set out by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
The registrant was convicted of sexually assaulting a female patient during a consultation when he was working as a healthcare assistant. He conducted a patient registration assessment, which involved routine checks like blood pressure and HIV testing. At the end of the assessment, he inappropriately requested and conducted a breast examination — despite having no clinical justification, authority, or training to do so. The trial judge, during sentencing, remarked:
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- Full allegations considered by the GPhC
- Panel findings and reasoning
- Outcome of the investigation
- Sanctions considered and imposed on the Pharmacist
- Key professional learning points
Original Case Document
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The original determination transcript is available to registered users.
- Download the official GPhC determination
- Full hearing transcript
- Detailed findings of fact
- Sanction reasoning
- Details of the pharmacy professionals involved